Who is Joe Burrow’s backup? All about Bengals 2nd and 3rd string QBs after Burrow injury

In the past, the team has had an easy answer. Brandon Allen was Burrow’s backup for the entire time the star quarterback was in Cincinnati. But Allen is on the 49ers now, and the Bengals will have a competition for the second spot between a seasoned veteran and a young player who has been with the team the past two years.

No one wants to envision a scenario in which Burrow sits out for any length of time, given the impact that could have on one of the league’s top Super Bowl contenders. Burrow has led the Bengals to two straight AFC championships and is also coming off two consecutive seasons with 4,000 or more passing yards.

So who would be the next Bengals player if the worst happened? Here’s what you need to know about the team’s quarterback depth chart.

Trevor Siemian
With Allen headed to San Francisco, the Bengals signed Siemian as a free agent in the offseason. While he hasn’t been with the organization long, his experience could give him an edge in the backup QB race.

Siemian has started 30 games in his six-year NFL career and has played in 35 games in total. He was a starter in 24 of those games for the Broncos in 2016 and 2017. He completed 59.3% of his passes for 30 touchdowns and 24 interceptions with Denver.

After the 2017 campaign, Siemian was traded to the Vikings, where he was Kirk Cousins’ backup in 2018. He then signed with the Jets for the 2019 season, starting against the Browns when Sam Darnold contracted mononucleosis. He attempted six passes before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.

Siemian was on the Titans’ and Saints’ practice squads in 2020. He took over in New Orleans in 2021 when Jameis Winston tore his anterior cruciate ligament. He started four games and made six total appearances. Last year, Siemian started one game for the Bears and participated in a second game.

Jake Browning
Browning has never played in an NFL game. He was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and waived by the team in August 2021.

The Bengals signed Browning to their practice squad in 2021 and 2022. He held the third-string QB spot, behind Burrow and Allen, in both years.

Browning had a standout career at the University of Washington, fueled by a monster 2016 season in which he completed 62.1% of his passes for 3,430 yards and 43 touchdowns against nine interceptions as a sophomore. But his performance dropped off in his final two years with the Huskies. He completed 66.6% of his passes for 5,911 yards, 35 touchdowns and 15 interceptions combined.